You hit them at a rare off moment.

I had come to think that Salam's "rare off moment" was better described as "the second half of 2008 and most of 2009." Certainly at the time I was investigating middle eastern places in Bridgeview, Salam's decline was obvious to me, its food flat and colorless next to the mouth fireworks I kept discovering down there, its staff listless and forgetful. Nor was I the only one who felt this way, a number of people commenting on the board or in private that Salam didn't have the sparkle it once had. It seemed likely to be the next entry on my mental list of "GNRs which nobody would vote to make a GNR now."

Some changes happened, and among them was that Salam expanded into much nicer surroundings. First reports were not so great— Monica Eng, in the Trib, had a pretty terrible experience that suggested at the least severe growing pains, and at worst that Salam as we knew it had simply ceased to be in favor of a slicker, emptier Falafelteria.

Well, I went there today with skepticism in hand, expecting to take one for the team hammering the last nail in the coffin, to mix a metaphor or two.

And instead I'm happy to report that Salam is much, much improved over its wan last year, maybe as good as it's been. I hesitate to declare it fine top to bottom, because I had a lunch special combo plate, which I have to guess by the way they're pushing it (and the fact that it's by far the best deal for a solo diner at lunch) is what most are ordering at lunch, so if they're going to get any dish right, that better be it. On the other hand, since it's a dish that consists of the top 5 or 6 things on the menu, the fact that they got them all right is a pretty good endorsement. Shawerma, shish taouk, kefta, falafel, all had the bright juicy flavors you associate with this food at its best, served right off the grill or fryer. Baba ghanouj was lively (though not, as noted above, smoky) and had some real heat from the pepper relish on top. Even the olives served gratis seemed better than the harsh version I remember, with subtle orange notes.

The renovation is not only pretty but there's a real liveliness there that Salam never had before. It used to be kind of like Mayberry UAE in there, a country cafe with a few old-timers sitting around. Now Salam is full of young people, it's hip. Okay, that's not necessarily a food recommendation (most of the worst falafel joints in town are full of young people in hip Wicker Park), but there's an energy that Salam never had, it's cheery to see three shawerma-gyros thing side by side on and working at a full clip, and the big guy with the Inspector Clouseau mustache obviously invigorated by being busy and having lots of customers to interact with.

I'm sure Salam still has some growing pains ahead but it was very happy for me to see a place that seemed on the slow slide to oblivion do such a 180 and, maybe, be better than it was before. The only downside is that the parking lot is now absurdly inadequate and was a clusterfarouk in entirely different ways upon both entering and leaving. A minor note in otherwise good news.

Mike,

Don't know if I noticed the decline you mention. As far as I am concerned at the time of its renovation Salam's fissile material was highly enriched, all weapons grade ("firing on all cylinders"), certainly the most potent to be found west of Qom. The standards were all on point - falafel, hummus, hummus w/ shawerma, sbecials.

As far as the decor - your UAE Mayberry was my 1990's (in other words, pre-Intifada II: The Long Simmer) Ram Allah cafe, complete with dour service, eight-sided star motif, and obligatory Um Kulthum/Feyruz/Farid Al-Atrash piping softly but steadily from the PA. And the clientele? Maybe not the most boisterous, but if you understood Shami (and occasionally, Maghrebi, Sudani, Masri or Iraqi) Arabic, you'd have been privy to some classic trash-talking and conversations about "bizniss" involving cigarettes, Canada, the ATF and that snake Abu Mohammad.

Now they've got a cartoon picture of sinister looking A-Rab skewering a defenseless kabob out front and female waitresses inside. And Hipsters, apparently.

Still, Salam's my habibi, and I their's.

Oh and by the way, I haven't been to Salam since the renovation. Just talking shit for the hell of it.

For a meal between two hockey sessions at McFetridge, Amata suggested we go to Salam and see if they have gotten back to their old tip-top form since the recent grand opening. As for many on LTH, Salam was a place we had long been very fond of and we were hoping for and expecting the best.

Alas, our visit was marred by several problems and resembled to too great a degree the disappointing experience Monica Eng had (see the linked article in MikeG's post just above). All was not negative, not by any means, but the problems were impossible to overlook, and it seems to me there is something of a theme that binds them together -- good stuff diminished by a lack of care.

The olives and torshi were good. Both the baba ghanouj and the falafel were really nicely balanced in a basic general way BUT a) the eggplant had no smoky element at all, which I found disappointing, esp. since I thought the balance of other flavours in the dish was so good; b) the falafel was tepid and, while the preparation itself was quite nice, freshly fried falafel are vastly better than those that have been cooling their heels for any length of time.

The best thing was really a considerable positive: the meat preparations for the sandwiches we ordered were all really tasty and the pita breads were quite generously stuffed. Amata had a shish taouk sandwich which I got to sample and the meat was really nicely done. I had a beef & lamb kifta sandwich that was really great -- the meat juicy and flavourful.

Lucantonius had a beef & lamb schwarma sandwich that also was well stuffed and delicious. But here is the bridge INTO troubled waters...
The little guy is allergic to sesame but is very fond of shwarma and, over the years, we've had no problem ordering this for him and just telling the waiter/waitress about the allergy and to just put meat in the sandwich, nothing else whatsoever. No problem, ever, anywhere. Well, yesterday, the sandwich came, looked okay, the kid took a couple of bites and lo and behold, it had tahini in it. We should, I suppose, have examined the sandwich more thoroughly but that said, the waitress, who acted as if she understood us well, clearly either didn't or didn't communicate the instructions to the cook. The sandwich was replaced but this brings us to the matter of delivery of the meal. Amata's sandwich appeared first, long before Lucantonius', and his long before mine. Then, the tahini-less second version of Lucantonius' came well after mine, so in the end, we each ate our sandwich alone.

I loved the old Salam and see rays of hope here in the new one but they need to get serious about things. Great recipes and fresh ingredients can easily be ruined by a lack of care in the kitchen and by the waitstaff. Right now, judging from Monica Eng's, MikeG's and our experiences, it seems inconsistency reigns at Salam. I don't intend this post as a dismissal of Salam but rather as a plea for them to get back to being consistently good, as they had been for a long time.

Antonius

My first post-renovation meal at Salam was a limited one, but nonetheless repeated some of the consistency problems mentioned here. Hummus w/ shawerma was great, exemplary in fact, but falafel were dry and cold. I got the feeling that even if they were fresh, the consistency would still be off. The falafel I remember from salam were fluffy (not mushy, not hard) inside with a thin, crisp shell. These falafel were chewy inside and had a really thick fry ring. Not good.

Stil, shawerma was crisp/juicy and the hummus was as smooth as a baby's bum. Environs were nice - I particularly enjoyed the giant pics of iconic architecture from the Arab world. Though at least one selection was dubious - the Burj Al Arab from Dubai? Really? The giant sailboat thing?

Habibi wrote:My first post-renovation meal at Salam was a limited one, but nonetheless repeated some of the consistency problems mentioned here. Hummus w/ shawerma was great, exemplary in fact, but falafel were dry and cold. I got the feeling that even if they were fresh, the consistency would still be off. The falafel I remember from salam were fluffy (not mushy, not hard) inside with a thin, crisp shell. These falafel were chewy inside and had a really thick fry ring. Not good.

Stil, shawerma was crisp/juicy and the hummus was as smooth as a baby's bum. Environs were nice - I particularly enjoyed the giant pics of iconic architecture from the Arab world. Though at least one selection was dubious - the Burj Al Arab from Dubai? Really? The giant sailboat thing?

Habibnaa,

Truly, whereof thou speakest, it doth appear!


Our falafel really seemed fine to me but for the fact that they had left the bathing vat a bit before they got to our table. So, it seems, there may also be some issues of inconsistency in the kitchen as well.

I like the giant pictures that are part of the new decor but I think the place is laid out badly -- the wall obscuring the dining room from the cooking area, where the waitresses are most of the time, is a problem... I think it was poorly thought out...

Antonius

My first visit to Salam on Wednesday evening will likely be my last. A combination plate consisted of meat that ranged from overcooked to very overcooked. The shame of it was that I could tell that the food would have been great if cooked properly. The chicken in particular was well seasoned.
My friend's falafel were much as described above: a hard coating and mealy inside. The hummus and the carrot juice were fine, but I can't see basing a trip on that. I can't understand why the proprietors would put so much effort into renovation and friendly service and let the kitchen perform so indifferently. Only a few tables were occupied; perhaps this is best as a lunch spot.
I vastly prefer Pita Inn, which has lower prices. I know some people have had problems with carry-out there, but since I always dine in, that's not an issue for me.

The recent reports are really discouraging and they seem to reflect a consensus, which is even more worrisome. For some time, Salam's falafel have been my personal benchmark. I haven't been in since the re-opening but after what I've read here, I'm in no hurry. Hopefully, what's happening presently is merely a case of growing pains and they'll eventually get their feet back under them. It'd be a real shame if Salam was not able to return to its former level.

=R=

Hey, I think they ARE at their former level! Which is to say, you get them sitting around cold unless you make a fuss to get them fresh, which is how Salam always was.

I'm bummed too, since it seems I had the one meal where everything was pretty darn good.

Mike G wrote:Hey, I think they ARE at their former level! Which is to say, you get them sitting around cold unless you make a fuss to get them fresh, which is how Salam always was.

I'm bummed too, since it seems I had the one meal where everything was pretty darn good.

Last few times I was there everything was at least great and the falafel were incredible. I never experienced the dip in quality you reported. But now, as I mentioned above, it seems that there's a genuine consensus of opinion about the diminishing quality here. Very sad because for me, it was always a 'go-to' place.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Last few times I was there everything was at least great and the falafel were incredible. I never experienced the dip in quality you reported.

Mike G wrote:I'm bummed too, since it seems I had the one meal where everything was pretty darn good.

I've been to the 'new' Salam, as outlined upthread, and had a damn tasty lunch. I'm guessing, as is typical, the negatives are more apt to post than the positives. People really seems to put on the magnifying glass when a favorite moves, Sun Wah is another example.

First few weeks of a big move, be it Salam or Sun Wah, is a little early for "genuine consensus of opinion about the diminishing quality."

Enjoy,
Gary

I went back today since I wanted to get the falafel and foul they owed me from my last trip. As I was ordering I explained what happened last time, and the wait staff were apologetic and said they would definitely comp the falafel and foul this time around. So far so good.

Turns out they didn't have any foul left so I replace the foul with baba, which was disappointing since I really wanted to try the foul, but no biggie. In addition to the dozen falafel and small order of baba, I also ordered the fattah with shawarma since it was my favorite by far on the last trip.

The falafels were mediocre. Too thick so the inside was mealy, too salty, and the outside was far from as crisp as I would like. They were definitely sitting under a heat lamp, but most falafel that I eat come this way so that's not a make-or-break for me. I think the recipe is good, well spiced, good flavor, but the execution was definitely lacking. Falafels are such a staple item in the cuisine, they really should put the effort in to get these right.

The baba was better this time around. More smokey and good balance between olive oil and egglant. I feel comfortable saying this was the best baba I've had in Chicago.

The fattah was VERY disappointing. I ordered fattah with shawarma, but instead got it topped with browned ground beef. There were pools of grease on top of the hummus and the ground meat got pretty chewy after it cooled down. I don't look forward to how this dish will evolve after some time in the fridge. The hummus was still good, but the barely seasoned ground beef was a significant downer.

So I guess their service is still inconsistent. I never visited the orginal Salam so I can't compare, but after two visits I'm not in a hurry to return. I think the quality of their recipes is evident, and when they're on, what they produce is some of the best Middle Eastern food I've had in Chicago. However, they miss too often to get me excited about my next visit. I will be trying a couple more places in Albany Park before settling on Salam as my go to for Lebanese food.

The falafels were mediocre. Too thick so the inside was mealy, too salty, and the outside was far from as crisp as I would like.

That's too bad, because their falafel used to be transcendental when it was fresh from the fryer. Sounds like you went fairly early in the day, too, which is usually a wise move when ordering Salam's falafel.

I haven't been there since the expansion, but it sure sounds like they need some shakeout time.

G Wiv wrote:I'm guessing, as is typical, the negatives are more apt to post than the positives.

This is absolutely true. I've had lunch two or three times at the new Salam (some carry-out some eat-in) and haven't noticed any discernible difference from "the old Salam". Having said that, I've always thought Salam was very good, but not transcendental by any means.

Darren72 wrote:

I'm guessing, as is typical, the negatives are more apt to post than the positives.

This is absolutely true. I've had lunch two or three times at the new Salam (some carry-out some eat-in) and haven't noticed any discernible difference from "the old Salam". Having said that, I've always thought Salam was very good, but not transcendental by any means.

Is the implication then that the recent 'negatives' about Salam are just expressions of dishonest crankiness? That would be unfortunate and counter to the proper spirit of discussion on a forum such as this. I made it absolutely clear in my post that I did not doubt at all the positive things that, for example, MikeG reported about his visit and indeed, it is certainly the case that in a restaurant -- especially one that has recently undergone significant changes -- one day things can be done well and another day badly.

Again, as I said in my report on our visit to Salam, I do not at all intend to 'trash' Salam, far from it, but I do hope they get their act together because the kind of experience we had there was really unacceptable -- food served in laughably staggered fashion, some of it cold, sandwiches with the bread already dissolved when they finally made their way to the table. Unacceptable. And the negative experiences of others I would no sooner dismiss than the positive ones, since there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to doubt the negative posters' motives in reporting as they did.

It seems to me, taking all the comments at face value, a very consistent picture can be seen - some of the great aspects of the old Salam still shine through here and there but very shoddy service and some cost-cutting measures manage to make the quality these days at best very wildly inconsistent. Unless one wants to dismiss the reports of quite a few posters as mean-spirited crankiness, the problems regarding consistency of performance and effort at Salam these days are clearly quite real.

And this post is written by someone who -- I repeat myself -- loved this place and merely wants them to get back on track. Consistency of quality is fundamental to the success of a restaurant. I look forward to Salam refinding their old consistency.

Antonius

Antonius wrote:Is the implication then that the recent 'negatives' about Salam are just expressions of dishonest crankiness?

No. The implication is that I agree with Gary's assertion that "the negatives are more apt to post than the positives." To back this up, I posted a positive. Had I experienced what you did, I would have posted a negative.

Darren72 wrote:No. The implication is that I agree with Gary's assertion that "the negatives are more apt to post than the positives." To back this up, I posted a positive. Had I experienced what you did, I would have posted a negative.

Darren-

The assertion with which you agree suggests in this case that those with negative things to say about Salam were more likely or more motivated to post their negative comments than those who might have recently had positive experiences at Salam. I don't necessarily agree with that and in any event, I can conceive of no way that we could easily ascertain the veracity of said assertion. Fact is, I would have been delighted to post a glowing report about our visit to Salam last month -- had we had one. As it was, it was a mixed experience -- tasty food, bad service. I reported it as I experienced it.

I plan to go back to Salam soon and I hope my next experience -- and post -- will be thoroughly positive. Since the folks who run the place did a fine job for many years, I think we can have a pretty high expectation of them getting everything back as it should be.

ma9 salaam,
Antonius

Last weekend I started to head for Salam with the family for lunch and, mindful of this thread, made a detour to Dawali instead.

Dawali is a nice place, everything's well prepared... but it's not as dialed up, flavorwise, as Salam can be when it's on. I still think what I thought the first time I went there-- I wish Dawali was around North and Milwaukee, because it would be easily the best middle eastern food in that benighted neighborhood. But on Kedzie, it's a little tame by comparison.

Salam when it's on is the best of its kind in that area; the problem remains, how to find it when it's on.

Antonius wrote:

Darren72 wrote:No. The implication is that I agree with Gary's assertion that "the negatives are more apt to post than the positives." To back this up, I posted a positive. Had I experienced what you did, I would have posted a negative.

Darren-

The assertion with which you agree suggests in this case that those with negative things to say about Salam were more likely or more motivated to post their negative comments than those who might have recently had positive experiences at Salam. I don't necessarily agree with that and in any event, I can conceive of no way that we could easily ascertain the veracity of said assertion. Fact is, I would have been delighted to post a glowing report about our visit to Salam last month -- had we had one. As it was, it was a mixed experience -- tasty food, bad service. I reported it as I experienced it.

I plan to go back to Salam soon and I hope my next experience -- and post -- will be thoroughly positive. Since the folks who run the place did a fine job for many years, I think we can have a pretty high expectation of them getting everything back as it should be.

ma9 salaam,
Antonius

You are right. I cannot prove one way or the other whether people with positive experiences are less likely to post than people who have negative experiences. So instead I offer the following revision to my earlier post.

I am less likely to post about positive experiences at restaurants, especially when it is a restaurant that I visit regularly and my experiences don't vary much from visit to visit. Salam is a good example. My last few meals there were very good and about the same, overall, as the meals I had there before the renovation. I didn't bother to post about these meals until Gary made the (unproven!) assertion that people with positive experiences are less likely to post than people with negative experiences. It occurred to me that I agreed with Gary's assertion and could offer a data point about a positive experience. I clearly made the mistake of not clarifying that my experience was offered as a single experience, rather than a proof of Gary's seemingly wild speculation. (Or, perhaps Gary is aware of what most people in customer service already know: that people are more likely to contact them with complaints than complements. Ah, there I go again, two more assertions without an offer of proof!)

I hope that LTH Forum is not the type of place where one needs to prove every assertion or needs to choose words so carefully as to avoid offending those who have different experiences. In any case, I hope your next meal at Salam is great and I look forward to hearing about it.

With all the talk (fully justified or not) of Salam being off for a while, I wonder if anyone has been to Baladna, just South of Lawrence (in the old Iraqi Kabab space, near Sahar, Jaafer, etc.). The place is a spin-off of Salam by two former partners, and last time I was there a few months ago the food was nearly identical to pre-renovation Salam at good to very good.

I think its a worthy point of comparison. The guys that run Baladna spent years if not decades putting out Salam's classic dishes and it doesn't seem like their menu has changed much. When I ate at Baladna, my first thought was Salam slightly renovated.

I won't have time to check it out for a while (going to India for a month) buy maybe someone can report back.

Cause I may not be the only one unaware:

Baladna
4835 N. Kedzie
(between Lawrence Ave & Ainslie St)
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 583-6695

Have a good trip!

Antonius wrote:The assertion with which you agree suggests in this case that those with negative things to say about Salam were more likely or more motivated to post their negative comments than those who might have recently had positive experiences at Salam. I don't necessarily agree with that and in any event, I can conceive of no way that we could easily ascertain the veracity of said assertion.

Antonius,

I did not mean you personally, or even specifically Salam, simply that in my dozen years of interacting on Internet food centric discussion boards I have noticed people in general are slightly more motivated to post negative experiences than positive. First time posters especially so.

Enjoy,
Gary

did stop in last wk to try the new lunch special after an ok experience right after the grand opening. the place was pretty busy for 1:30pm on a Thurdsay with several people waiting for carry out and tables about 1/2 full. generous amount of meat, 2 falafel (hot out of the fryer) and a nice little green salad. flavors were right back on track.

but what I really want to know is, am I the only one that's curious about the "oven toasted tastes better" sign by the register?

gls wrote:but what I really want to know is, am I the only one that's curious about the "oven toasted tastes better" sign by the register?

I'd guess it's leftover from the previous tenant, a Quizno's

gls wrote:
but what I really want to know is, am I the only one that's curious about the "oven toasted tastes better" sign by the register?

I'd guess it's leftover from the previous tenant, a Quizno's

gls wrote:but what I really want to know is, am I the only one that's curious about the "oven toasted tastes better" sign by the register?

I'd guess it's leftover from the previous tenant, a Quizno's

thanks Gary! I don't recall a quiznos next store but the slogan fits. now that you meniton that, I wonder if that's where the other display pieces were from. kudos for recycling

If people are looking for data-points:

I am a long-term, frequent Salam take-out customer. I've done takeout three times since they've remodeled and every visit was better than the last.

On the last visit, the plate of beef shwarema that I brought home had a smell alone that was better than the actual taste of other shwaremas around town. It was among the best plates I've ever had.

Best,
Michael

We went to Salam last night for the first time in approximately a year and a half, and boy was it underwhelming. I say that as a long-time Salam fan.

Dense, reheated, oil-laden falafel and sadly overcooked shish taouk that bore little resemblance to the fine examples we had in the past. The baba ganoush was still pretty good — that's the only positive thing I have to say about the food this time out.

With the wealth of other good places within spitting distance, it'll be a while before we venture back.

LTH,

"Business Lunch Special" at Salam, one of the better bangs for your buck.



Though it does not say so on the sign, you have a choice of rice, hummus or fries, typically I would sub hummus, but as we had a share order for the table I requested baba ghanouj, no problem, no upchagre. Baba is, creamy and tasty though, as mentioned upthread, lacks the smoky element associated with the best versions.

Business Lunch Special



Shish kabob and Chicken Taouk were moist, flavorful with a hint of grill char, Falafel, even starting from the deficit of being held, are still my favorite version around town. Shawarma a bit dry, though in my experience this is an anomaly, and a split down the middle Kifta Kabob not quite up to the typical juicy delight, but still enjoyable. Smooth balanced hummus dead-on as is the norm at Salam. Plenty of warm pita, torshi which included olives, two types of hot sauce and, as requested, olive oil, made for a very enjoyable lunch.

I only recognized one employee from the old guard, though the two pretty waitresses were a more than even trade for the former burley waiters, and there is a certain getting ready to franchise quality to the decor I find reflexively disagreeable, but all in all the core of Salam remains the same, even if Salam 2010 reminds me of a suburban mega-mall fast food spot.



Enjoy,
Gary

Salam put out some really good food today - probably some of the best I've had in years there.

Six falafel fresh out of the fryer were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. Beautiful.

Qudsieh (hummus with ful) also on point - nicely garnished with shopped green jalapeno and olive oil. The green jalapeno hot sauce (shatta khadra) was better than it ever has been at Salaam. Very fresh, spicy, lemony.

Finished with a perfect cup of Arabic coffee.

Salam is getting back on its legs, and now appears to be putting out food as good as it ever has. Based on recent accounts, things seem a bit spotty, but I believe that was always the case with Salam. When its on, Salam is the best.

Also, I'm getting to really like the new digs, even if it is a bit mall-kitschy. The servers are very nice, the dining room was packed, and I love the gigantic pictures of Arab-world cultural monuments.

For a good,long time now, REB and I have loved Salam. We found it through LTH, and it became our go to place for quick, casual, we-don't-feel-like-cooking-tonight type meals. Since the expansion, however, things have been iffy, at best.

I'm afraid that our last visit will, in fact, be our last visit.

Here's the best that I can do to make a long, sad story short:
Despite making what has become my standard plea for freshly-fried falafel, we nevertheless received luke warm, dense, greasy falafel bombs. I got server's attention and explained that falafel were not freshly-fried. She argued that they were. I said we didn't want them, and she carried them away in a huff. We continued eating our substandard-for-Salam meal, waiting for replacement falafel. None came. I inquired. She said none would be coming. I asked for manager. Manager came, explained that since the expansion, falafel are cooked once every few hours, and then reheated just prior to being served. This is, he said, what Salam considers to be "fresh." Fried to order falafel, he explained, were no longer available. Can't be done. (Insult to injury: the crappy falafel still appeared on our check!)

Though it pains me to say it...

So long Salam. Hello Dawali.

--Rich

RAB, REB and I got into discussing the Salam issues some this past weekend and it was then that I recommended to them that they try Dawali, which has become my favorite spot on Kedzie. But I also remember back a few years ago when I was perusing the GNR nominations and Salam's name came up, shortly after I moved into the neighborhood. Salam quickly became my go-to Middle Eastern spot for a cheap meal and takeout. That being said, I guess I have never been as thrilled with Salam as many others on this board. Although I certainly have received freshly fried falafel, often I have received falafel which was obviously not freshly fried - not crisp, sometimes too heavy, sometimes lukewarm. And the one time I asked for freshly fried falafel (based on a suggestion on this board), I was greeted with a bit of a curt response that it's always fresh. But even when on, I've decided that I think Dawali's falafel just tastes better (I just like the extra spice kick) and I don't have to ask for something that should be given to me without special request (i.e., freshly fried falafel).

Now Salam's shawarma is a different story. The beef/lamb shawarma used to be my favorite in town - always a great combination of crisp and moist pieces and just great flavor. But something happened in the last year or so (and not just after the expansion) where consistency has become a problem . . . I've had it dry, I've had it too salty, but occasionally it's as great as ever. When it's on, I still think it's the best in town, but those occurrences have become less certain. I still return to Salam occasionally when I'm in a shawarma mood, because when it's on it's still better than anyone else's in my opinion.

Baba ghannouj has become another issue for me at Salam. I recall it featuring a richer, roasted & smoky eggplant flavor. On my last two trips to Salam, I find that it has tasted less roasted and smoky and featured a bit too much tahini.

So I'll occasionally give Salam a chance now when I'm craving shawarma, but it's the perfect falafel that I almost always desire and for more than a year-and-a-half, I have found that a couple blocks north at Dawali.